Automatic switch control



L. BERNIER AUTOMATIC SWITCH CONTROL Jan. 14,- 1930.

' ATTORNEY.

Y Vv35 Patented Jan. 14, 1930 PATENT FFIcE y 'Louis isnnivrnn, or FERNDALE, MICHIGAN VAUIYOIVLAY'JIC SW-ITCH CONTROL Ap'plcaton'led February 11, 1929. Serial No. 338,994.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in an automatic-switch control adaptedv for use on railroad tracks, the present invention being an improvement on my -invention set forth in -my applicationr for United States Letters Patent, -Serial Number 268,570,'fled April 9, 1928. v

The invention is used with a device whereby mechanical means areprovided so that the operator of a vehicle traveling over tracks may automatically, without leaving the vehicle, and while the vehicle is still traveling, operate the switch. v

The construction set outin the application referred to is such that the operating mechanism after being operated to throw the switch in one directionis automatically set for throw- U the switch in the opposite direction and m will function efficiently for this purpose.

-' However, should the switch be thrown without actuating the automatic switch operating mechanism this operating mechanism would vthen be in a position other than the desired position for operating the switch and it is an object of the present invention to obviate such a situation.

Itis another object of the invention to provide yieldable means for maintaining the rockable actuating finger in proper operating position at all times regardless of whether the switch mechanism or moved in some other manner.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.- The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood from a reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the invention showing it-installed.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-.-2

of Fig. 1, with a fragment of a vehicle shown thereon.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism used in the invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 f of Fig. 3.

The device may be used on railroad tracks has been thrown ,by the actuating` extending beyond the limits of a city or may be used on street car tracks laid in the streets of a city, and in the drawings, I have illustrated the adaptation of the invention to the rails 9 and 1() which are laid in a street. A

branch track 11 is illustrated, in connection with which is'used the swingably mounted rail or switch 12, the location of which will determine the direction of travel of a vehicle after passing the same when travelling from left to right on the drawings. Mounted between the rails 9 andv 10 is a housing 13 having the cover 14 provided with a `slot 15. Formed in this housing is a compartment 16 having the elongated portion 17, which extends beyond the free end of the switch rail 12. Mounted on the base 18 of this housing are spaced supports 19 and 20, extending slidably through which are the rods 21 and 22. Fixedly` mounted on the rods 21 and 22 is the bridge 23. Swingably mounted on the upper surface of the bridge 23 is the Wedge-shaped y actuating finger 24 carrying the wedgeshaped head 25 preferably formed integral therewith. Projecting upwardly from opposite sides of the bridge 23 are the studs or engagement members 26 and 27 which are adapted to engage opposite faces of the actuating finger 24, when the same is swung on its Y pivot. Preferably formed integral with and L,

projecting upwardly from the bridge 23 are the spaced lugs 28 and 29, between which engages one end of the rod 30 which is pivotally mounted on these lugs 29 and 28 and which passes between the supports 2O.V -v

Pivotally connected atone end to the outer end of the rod 30 is the operating bar 32 which is pivotally connected, intermediate its ends, at a flattened portion 33 to a support 34 positioned in the compartment 17. Connected pivotally atlone end to the opposite end of the bar 32 is a link 35 which is pivotally con- Y nected, intermediate its ends, to a pair of spaced lugs 36 and 37 which project outwardly from and are secured to one face of the switchv rail 12.

Mounted on the undersurface of the floor 38 of the vehicle is a bolster 39. 'A rod 40 is projected through the floor 38 and through 'the bolster 3 9 Aso as to lie, when the vehicle is drawn over the tracks, in alignment with the slotl. A spring 41 serves to normally retain the lower end of the rod 40 spaced above thecover 14.

In operation, when the vehicle is being propelled over the rails 9 and 10 and the switch is approached, 'and it is desired to throw the switch to its other position, the operator of the vehicle will, by pressing on the head 42 of the rod 40, force the rod y40.dow!iwarelly against the compression of the kvspring 41 so that the lower end of the ArOd .will englge in the slot 15, a collar 43 being fiXedly mounted on this rod to engage the boilster 39 and limit the downward movement thereof. When -the end of v"their'od "4oz-is engagement withV `the slot 15a'nd5the`fvehicle is drawn past'the 'operating mechanisrn'so as toV cross f over the location 5 of ythe brid'ge23, the lower end ofthe-rod 1.40 rwill-e'r'igage'fone face ofthe iinger`24. ^As'shownfinvFigff,this finger is in engagement vwith the-sttd 27, and in 'orderto 4permit the rodf40`t'o pass beyond the same, the rod engagingthe -inclined face of the finger will lforce' .the bridge to move toward the left, thus'rockingi'the bar 32 and moving kit into the positionj'shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus eefcting a movement 'of the1 switch rails i12 'intothe position shown lin dottedlines-infFig. V-1. VIn this manner the switch'is'thrown. Asfthe end of theslot is approached,theend`of the rod will'enga'ge-the'inclined surface of the cover 14'at` the end of' the slotf-"ll so that it willmove out of engagement'with the slot 15 without striking anya'brupt-gs'houlder on the cover 14. Y

As the pinfpa'ssjes the wedge-shapedhead 25, the iingert2'4 will be'rocked-on its pivot into the position shown'in dotted'*lin'esjin FigQl so that'the vfing`er124 will Vv'be moved into engagement with the stud 26.` *In lthis position a succeeding vehicle desiring to Y travelin the same direction as the procedi'ng vehicle would not effect anyoperat-ionofthe switch, but one desiring totr'avel yin a direc- 'tion determined by vthe lthrovving 'of thev Y switch into 'the positionfshown'fin full lines 'in Fig. 1 would press therod 40 jdoiwnwvardly 'so as `to operate the switch. *The opposite face 4of the yiinger24 wo'nld "this ca s'ebe engaged and 'an 'opposite' 'movement ofthe bridge 23 effected with 'ares'ultantI-ocking of Ithe actuating finger'24,fonitspivot, topraf pare it for the 'nextperatibm soA .that the euppoas warned-is alruehapealmaf f rc-44 which are bolts 47 and 48, each'hvi'gfn i' ted shaped member 44. A set screw 53 serves to bind the end of the leaf spring in the support 52. Formed inthe bridge 23 is an arcuate slot 51 in. which engages a pin 52 projecting downwardly Vfrom the actuating finger 24.

Should the switch rail 12 for any reason beV swung on itsv pivot without rocking the actu- Vatingfingefr'24, the saddle 23 wouidl be moved vswitch be thrown when l"the :'sadd'le 23is in Vva position other than shown in'flig. 3,"the

"engagement of the pin-'552 'withthe lspring would vagain effect' a-.Iocking of-the actuating A'finger 24."thus assuring `v the V4location or positioning of this" actuatingngr "Z4-in proper position for Yoperation bythe rod 40 of a'vehicle passing thereover. Y y

vIn this wavfthere is an vadditional*safety feature provided Ifor -vthe switch Vactuatir'ig mechanism 'and there is `provided meanslfor maintaining at all `times 'the actuatingffnger 24 in operative position.

VVhileIv have illustrated and 'described the Apreferred form 'of my invention, dI :do'not wish tolimit'myself tothe precise'ydetail 'of structure shownv but desire to avail myself 'of' such variationsand' modifications las kcome @within the scope of the 4appended claims.l

Having thus described my invention,what .I claims'as new and desire' torsecureby Let- `ters,l?ate`nt is: n i f 1. .In a switch control ofthec'lass described "adapted for use on Sa trac'khaving. a movable `switch rail :'a 'bridgeslidable transverselv of said track; a rockable member 'on' vsaidbridge operative upon actuation when, moved to one position for moving said` switch "rail in one )direction andwhen'move'd in the votlierpositionyfor moving saidsw'itchrail infthe'opposite direction: and meansfor rocking said rockablefmember from lone .position-to vvthe otherxupon movement of said bridge vtransverselyof said track' through the movement of said'switch rail. i ,y

2. In a switch controlif theclassdescrbed @adapted'for 'use on a track ,having aimovable swithraill-a `bridge' movable) transversely "offsaidftrack; means for -fconnecting said bridge to said switch rail for effeetin'giilove- 'einem' of said swath' rsa simultaneously pppn transverse movement of saidbrid'gef'alirock- 'ablel "member mounted on said bridgei and rokablel thereon" and operable lvupon actuation, when in one positlon, for movitrig'said bridge transversely in "one IVdirection "and,

AlO

ner and projected downwardly through said slot; and resilient engagement means for engaging said pin and rocking said roekable member to normal position upon movement` of said bridge transversely through a movement of said rail.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

LOUIS BERNIER. 

